Bullies

Guest post
by
Suzann Darnall

This seems to be the way far too many people in the world think. That the rules do not apply to them. They simply go about doing as they wish. If a law, regulation, or societal convention is inconvenient . . . ignore it! This is the philosophy of most bullies.

This is a problem for the rest of the people in the world. Because others all too often fall victim to what happens after the bully goes ahead and does as he wishes.

Not that all bullies are male. Mean girls are bullies . . . we just generally use different terms for them. Just as there are many different terms to use for male bullies as well. But, for simplification I am going with bully and he. Besides, it is what fits best with my current train of thoughts. He is definitely front and center of what I am thinking right now! He is most definitely a bully!!!

Bullies usually offer justifications for their actions:

I did it because ___ (fill in the blank) ___.
It was ___ (fill in the blank) ___'s fault.
I wanted ___ (fill in the blank) ___.
I have a right to ___ (fill in the blank) ___.
___ (fill in the blank) ___ can't tell me what to do.

The excuses are as numerous as the bullies who proffer them. And, just as useless. I have no use for bullies. I think the world would be a much better place without them. I think bullies are dangerous. Much more dangerous than most people are truly aware. And, part of this is because far too many people are not really aware of what bullies are often doing.

While the kid saying mean things or hitting others on the playground is a bully, he is not nearly so dangerous as the girl who slowly and deliberately intimidates all other girls in her class into kowtowing to her as the queen bee. The mean kid will be seen as a bully by everyone and will be dealt with. The girl using lies and intimidation often glides under the radar because she is well-behaved, a good student, and seen as a leader. But, leadership is easy to obtain when using deceptive bullying tactics.

Hitler was a murderous dictator . . . and a bully. Dictators are one of the most atrocious kinds of bullies. Rapists are bullies. Many criminals are bullies. Most crime is a type of bullying. It is usually about "I want" and power. Two things that drive most bullies to do what they do.

Putin is most definitely a bully. What else would one expect from a former KGB officer? It was Soviet Survival 101 to become a bully. So, I am in no way surprised that he is employing land grab tactics and beginning Russian expansion all over again. It is what he knows. It is how he was raised!

But, what most people seemingly don't realize is that Obama is just as much a bully in his own way. He is just a weaker and less effective bully on the world stage. But, here at home, against those with less power, he is going at it hammer-n-tongs. He is trying very hard to beat the average American into submission with regulation, taxation, and intimidation.

People tend to forget that bullies can oft times be charming. They mostly think about the big ol' kid on the playground beating up smaller children for their lunch money. Hitler was apparently considered to be quite charming by those who knew him personally. Putin can be very charming when it is to his benefit. Obama has charmed an entire nation into electing his ineffective butt into the Oval Office twice. But, all the charm in the world does not make a bully anything less than a bully. It just makes them a charming bully.

A bully might be an elementary school student, a sorority girl, an abusive spouse, an online stalker, a politician, or a dictator. They might be male or female. They might be mean or charming. While they might not always be deadly, they will always be dangerous.

Oh, by the way, I think Hillary is a bully. She might be petite, blonde, and elderly, but I have no doubt she is as dangerous and vindictive as any bully to ever stand on the American or world stage. Possibly even deadly . . . if you consider Benghazi! But, hey, "What does it matter"???

© Suzann C. Darnall, MARCH 2014